Pretend
by Silver-Raven22
Summary: Loki stirs in his arms, and Thor opens his eyes to see his brother staring at him. His eyes are washed out from years of darkness and pain, but they hold emotion. It is not hope though, because they both know Loki is not strong enough to go anywhere. Sequel to Stolen Moments.


This fic is a sequel to _Stolen Moments_, but it stands well on it's own. As with _Stolen Moments_, this is not necessarily intended as slash, but if you want to interpret that way, do it. Whatever floats your boat and all that.

**Disclaimer:** Thor and Loki belong to Marvel.

**Warning:** mentions of torture/violence.

* * *

It takes years before Thor can discover the place of Loki's imprisonment. Years of listening, watching, searching and begging his father. But Loki's location is known to only a few, and they are all sworn to secrecy. It is only by chance that Thor overhears Odin talking with one who guards his brother. The guard walks past Thor on his way out of the chamber, but he makes no sign that he has heard. He keeps a straight face before his father. The sort of mask even Loki might be proud of. He has to be patient, he must avoid detection. After a decade of waiting, one more day makes little difference.

The next day he creeps in a very un-Thor-like manner, towards the cave he knows holds Loki. It is dark and foreboding, right on the edge of Asgard, where the light begins to fade. There is no guard at the entrance, which is strange. Thor wonders why they are so confident that Loki will not escape. The thought makes him fearful, there's a lot they could have done to Loki in a decade.

He takes the keys that sit half hidden in a hollow in the stone wall, and pushes aside the rock that blocks the entrance with ease. Loki does not look up, his head droops towards the floor. Thor watches his brother, and all he wants to do is cry.

Loki is not just imprisoned, but chained in place. His shackles are chained to the ceiling so that his arms hang either side of his head. His legs are also shackled to the stone beneath him, forcing him to kneel in place. It is obvious from the way his limbs sag and lean on his bonds that he would have lay down and curled up years ago, if he could.

Scars cover Loki's torso, legs, and arms. His only clothing is a rag tied about his waist, making it all too easy for Thor to see the patches that look like burns splattered over his skin. Only his face is unharmed. It is evident that Loki has been tortured, though Odin had sworn to Thor that he wouldn't be. There is a decade's worth of dried blood covering his arms, from where the metal cuts into his wrists. Some of it is fresh, red just visible under the metal. On his side there is a red welt that hasn't yet healed. It looks only a few days old.

"You've come earlier than usual. It has been less than a week since your last visit," Loki says. His voice is rough and it sounds painful for him to talk. He does anyway. Perhaps even hateful conversation with the one who tortures him is better than no contact at all. Thor feels his stomach drop.

"I have not come before, but I wish with everything in me that I had found you sooner."

Loki looks up then. A decade earlier, his movement might have been sharp, his sneer cold. Now the most he can manage is a feeble lifting of his head to look at Thor.

"Why have you come?"

Once the words would have been scornful, now he doesn't have the heart. His face is pale and haggard, with dark bruises under his eyes. He looks almost dead. Obviously Loki is being fed, if he is still alive, but only barely enough to keep him so.

"I had to."

Loki lets his weakness get the better of him, and his head drops back to its earlier position. It doesn't look like he has the strength to hold it up any longer. Thor quickly steps around him and places the key in the lock holding the shackles around his feet. It fits, and turns. They spring open, and Thor kicks them away from Loki viciously. He would never have thought he could hate a strip of metal so much.

"What are you doing Thor?"

"I'm unchaining you. But you must promise not to attempt an escape."

"Do you really think I would have the strength?"

Thor does not answer, and after a moment of silence, Loki's thin whisper cuts through the cave.

"I swear."

Thor moves quickly to his arm, and places a hand under it, supporting the weight. He undoes the shackle, and it clatters loudly to the stone. Loki struggles to hide a wince at the loud noise.

Thor lowers Loki's arm slowly, but even this gradual movement hurts Loki; he hisses breaths through his teeth the entire way. His arm has been still for much too long. Thor almost can't bring himself to do the same with his other arm, but he does, and clenches his teeth at the small whimper Loki can't contain.

When both arms are down by his side, Thor kneels in front of Loki, and takes his face gently in his hands. Loki couldn't have broken the contact if he tried, his arms only managing to twitch feebly.

"Would you like to sit down?"

Loki nods weakly.

After a long while and much patience on Thor's part, they end up leaning against the stone wall of the cave beside each other. Loki shivers, and Thor unclasps his cape, draping it over Loki's almost naked form. It looks violently red against his pale, translucent skin.

They don't talk for a while. Loki looks like he is trying to get his muscles working again. Thor simply watches him, thinking of the ugly burnt skin beneath his cape.

"Does it hurt very much?"

He knows Loki understands him when he gives a somewhat incredulant look.

"Of course. Is that not the point?"

Thor winces.

"I am sorry I could not come sooner. I had no idea where you were. I spent years searching, but I never found you."

"I never expected you to."

Thor looks down, stung. That Loki would believe him capable of abandoning him for eternity was painful. When he speaks again, his words are barely a whisper.

"I am sorry I could not protect you."

Loki makes no sign that he has heard, other than to move his hand an inch and clasp his in a hold that was nowhere near as strong as it should have been. Thor tries not to look at the blood.

He thinks back to their last conversation, on the bridge of Asgard. The pain he felt that day is even more acute now that he can see what has been done to Loki in his imprisonment. If he'd known, if he'd had the chance all those years ago, he would have taken Loki somewhere else. Anywhere else.

"Do you still hate me, Thor?" Loki asks, and he knows he is thinking of that day too.

"Any hate I had felt, died that day on the bridge."

"I am glad." Thor looks at him in surprise. He'd expected a mocking answer.

Loki does not look at him, and a tear escapes a pale eye. Thor reaches out to wipe it away, feeling his heart clench in pain for his brother. His hand rests there for a moment, gently stroking Loki's face.

"I love you," says Loki faintly, and it's the first time in years that he has told him so. He can't seem to speak, so instead he pulls Loki against him, holding him close gently. He savours this, time together that is not cruel, mocking or hateful, though it is painful. It is bittersweet.

He closes his eyes and presses his face into Loki's hair, remembering that day ten years ago. Wishing it was different. Hoping he can save them both now.

"There are times I still wish I had fled. Even if I had been caught, death is preferable to this."

Thor feels his heart being ripped up at these words, and his breath catches in his chest. What Loki says is probably true, but he cannot help the selfish need to keep his brother alive.

"I wish I had taken you away."

"You would also have been killed."

"We can go now. I can escape with you."

Loki stirs in his arms, and Thor opens his eyes to see his brother staring at him. His eyes are washed out from years of darkness and pain, but they hold emotion. It is not hope though, because they both know Loki is not strong enough to go anywhere. They both know they would be caught almost instantly, and if not, the whole of Asgard would search for them. They would be found within days.

Thor knows it is not long before he will have to leave, and chain Loki back in place. The guilt rips at him when he thinks of it. But for these stolen moments they have, he can pretend. They can hold on to that dying hope.

"Thank you," whispers Loki.

* * *

Thanks for reading

-Aislinn.


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